Replacement Compound slide for Atlas 10

I added a bit of information here as a step by step for future use. The included picture hopefully help with the previous pictures.

As per the pictures

1. Square up the steel on the 4 major sides, it doesn't need to be perfect, as you will see. The ends will be done at the end.

2. Rough out the dovetail and screw nut channel with a straight rougher. I made the DT channel about .030" deeper than original. This is to allow for cleanup mentioned in step 7.

3. Set up the dovetail cutter and take a few passes to clear out the majority of the material on both sides. Remember that with the cutter having a taper it will want to move down. Check your tool holder/collet for oil etc that will allow slipping of the tool. Remember that you are only feeding the tool sideways to deepen the cut, NOT down!

4. When the cutter starts to cut full depth of the dovetail take smaller cuts to make a smoother cut.

5. Remember to fit the male DT with the gib in place but no screws on the gib. You want the best fit that allows for future adjustment.

6. Take a couple of free passes to take care of any spring in the tool. When done you will likely have .001 to .002" clearance if all went well. Remember that if you have extra clearance it is not the end of the world, that is what the gib and screws are there to do.

7. Now that the dovetail is done DO NOT REMOVE FROM MACHINE YET! You want to face the running surface of the slide with everything the same as when you cut the DT. Put in a flat end mill and face the 2 sliding surfaces of the slide. This ensures that the DT and the sliding surface of the slide are parallel to each other.

8. Now you can flip the slide over and place on parallels if you need to clear the vice. Make sure the vice and/or parallels are square to the mill and then face the top of the slide to finish. At this point I did mill the 2 ends to square them up.

9. Note that I did not put in a T-slot for the tool post. As the top slide is only 3" wide the post would only fit properly with a centrally located hole anyway. My tool post used a 9/16" X 18 TPI mounting hole other sets will vary i.e. 14mm X 1.5.

10. I moved the slide to the surface grinder to finish the top surface and then bead blasted the 5 sides that one sees but not the running surface. The running surface I lapped on a glass plate with extra fine grit until most but not all the machining makes were removed. I wanted some marks to remain, as these will hold some oil for lubrication.

11. Thread the gib screw holes and the slide screw holder bracket holes. Broken all edges and on the DT edges I removed some more there as a sharp edge is not needed and you may need the DT corner clearance for the male DT. I ended up with about .015" clearance above the male DT and the corners are clear of any possible rubs as well.

Done. I did blacken the slide with a phosphate coating for some rust protection.

compound slide.jpg
 
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I thought you guys might like to see the finished part, so here are a few pictures showing it and NEW dial as well. Note the difference in the size of the old to new dial.

dials.jpg mounting-plate-and-old-dial.jpg new-dial.jpg beautiful.jpg compound-all-done.jpg
 
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Re: Replacement Compound slide for Atlas 10" lathe

A functioning work of art! Good Job !
 
Re: Replacement Compound slide for Atlas 10" lathe

Thanks
Using the diameter of the 3 jaw chuck that I was using to hold the new dial blanks, I used a drawing program (ie Autocad) and simply made an array of lines that 100 would equal the circumference and printed on a sheet of paper. In my case it took more than 1 sheet. Using a letter sized sheet I cut the sheet into strips and put two together to get enough to go around the chuck.

Now remember that the sheet has a thickness as well. You have to add that in as well or the divisions will not line up when you wrap the chuck.

Second time was better!

Using the same setup as below. I then scribed a line on the side of the chuck mounting plate at each of the divisions. Therefore I now have a chuck that is permanetly marked with 100 spaces for future projects!

Make up a wire to use as a pointer and mount were it works for you. It will line up with the new lines on the chuck, thus indexing the dial blank.

I then scribed the lines onto the dial blank. Just by moving the carriage back and forth. Use a sharp tool set on its side. A threading tool is what I used with a sharp point. After all the lines were marked I stamped the final numbers using number stamps.

In making the lines you have to pass the tool a couple of times to get enough depth.

Any other questions? Did I forget something? Likely
Hope this helps!
 
Re: Replacement Compound slide for Atlas 10" lathe

Well, on Saturday I sold the Atlas lathe, as I have picked up a 14x40 to replace it. The buyer was not interested in the Power Crossfeed carriage. As I sold the lathe as purchased, the new top slide that I made in this thread was not sold with the lathe.

If any Atlas users are interested in the carriage or the top compound slide, send me a PM. Otherwise I will sell it on one of the auction sites either complete or parted out.

Now I have to get the new machine in the shop before the snow flies. Build a new concrete pad and building, soon I hope.
 
Re: Replacement Compound slide for Atlas 10" lathe

Such a shame you sold your Atlas, I nearly cried when I let mine go, it had given me years of faithful and accurate service.
I was going to post a few pictures of mods that I had done to mine, until I saw you had sold it.

Like yourself, I went for a larger swing lathe.

We all have to move on at some time.

John
 
Re: Replacement Compound slide for Atlas 10" lathe

I know how one feels. The lathe was in the shop for 20 yrs or so. It had it limits, like Parting off and no heavy cuts, but worked just fine for most of my needs. I could not pass up on the replacement lathe at the price and condition. I did not NEED it but I wanted it.
 
Yes I did. The buyer of the lathe, wanted it as original so he did not buy the extra carriage and slide. Strange as the extra carriage had the power crossfeed, so he has a 10D with upgraded 10F leadscrew and parts. Just as I had bought it in 1990.
I ended up selling the 10F carriage assembly and slide, to a guy in Saskatoon. The guy there was happy for what he got, as there was not much Atlas stuff in his area.
Pierre
 
pdentrem, I just wanted to bump this for anyone that may not have seen it. And to thank you for recording the build for posterity. Google found this thread for me this morning when checking to see what other folks may have already done, looking for ideas. Also sorry you had to sell it, but such is life some times eh... Appreciate it...
 
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